2l8 



Habitat: Pulu Babi!; Engano; Sumatra (Atjeh!, Siboga!); 

 Borneo (North coast); Java; Lamakera on Solor!; Floras!; 

 Rotti!; Timor; N. Celebes!; Ternate; Halmahera; Ambon!; 

 Buru; Kur!; Kei Islands!; Aru Islands; Salawatti; New Guinea 

 (Jobi, Sorong, Dorei, Mansinam, Kaiser Wilhelmsland!, Bore- 



Fig. 83. Platurus colubrinus (Schn.). X ' 2 k- 



pata); Schouten Islands (Mysore). Australia; New Zealand ; 

 Fiji Islands; New Caledonia; New Hebrides; Solomon, Admi- 

 ralty and Pelew Islands; Sulu Islands; Philippines; China; 

 Penang; Singapore; Andamans; Nicobars. 



This snake is sometimes found out of the water. 



52. Aipysurus Lacepede. 



(LACfipfeDE, Ann. Mus. IV p. 197, 1804). 



Snout short; nostrils superior; eye small; pupil round; head- 

 shields large or broken up into scales; nasals in contact. 

 Maxillary teeth two fangs, separated by a short interspace 

 from 8 10 grooved teeth; anterior mandibular teeth feebly 

 grooved. Body moderate, covered with smooth or keeled, 

 imbricate scales in 17 25 rows; ventrals large, keeled in the 

 middle. Tail strongly compressed. 



Distribution. Western Tropical Pacific Ocean; Indo-Austra- 

 lian Archipelago. 



Key to the species. 



A. Scales in 17 rows; head covered with shields . . . . i. A. eydouxi p. 219. 



B. Scales in 19 rows; head covered with small scales. 2. A. australis p. 219. 



C. Scales in 21 25 rows; head-shields more or less 



broken up 3. A. laevis p. 220. 



